Big Bon Bodega owner Kay Heritage

Have you eaten?

Heritage was born and raised in what she affectionately calls the “other South”—South Korea. The country was still recovering from post-war poverty and famine.

“We often greeted each other with ‘밥 먹었어요?’—which means ‘Have you eaten?’” Heritage says. “You were really asking, ‘Are you okay? Are you surviving?’ It was a greeting of care and concern. In Korean culture, much of the relationship-building is around food.”

Heritage carried that philosophy through a life with many twists and turns—moving to California with her mother and stepfather, joining the U.S. Army at 18 years old and serving her four years in Germany, and finally ending up in Savannah where she met her husband. They settled down in Bloomingdale and raised four children.

“I was pretty sure I was the only Korean in Bloomingdale 35 years ago,” Heritage says with a laugh. “But Savannah has obviously changed since then. Now I can go to Costco or Publix in Pooler and can hear families speaking Korean to each other.”

Rising in popularity

The first iteration of Big Bon was a food truck that served wood-fired pizza. The idea came from Heritage’s eldest daughter, and with no prior experience, they decided to figure it out together.

“We named the business Big Bon, which is my husband’s nickname,” Heritage explains. “He is a Texas Aggie who loved to build bonfires during football season. And I am grateful that he was always there, quietly supporting me in the background.”

They started the food truck in 2016, then opened Big Bon Bodega, which featured wood-fired bagels, in 2019. The more Heritage worked with her daughter and her friends, she realized that operating a small business was a great way for them to learn communication and business skills, which they could build upon for the next stage in their lives. The opportunity to impact young people as they are starting out became the heart of Big Bon’s culture.

“I always remind my young team members that bagels and pizzas are tools; they are what we do, not why we do it,” Heritage says. “I say, ‘The reason why is you.’”

The food truck is now retired, but Big Bon Bodega is busier than ever. The menu continues to evolve under the guidance of Chef Shahin, who likes to infuse not only Korean but also French, Mediterranean and Vietnamese flavors. Menu staples include the Korean Mama Sandwich, which Guy Fieri declared as his favorite Big Bon item when he taped his show here in 2023.

The restaurant has also been featured on the shows Start Up and Samantha Brown’s Places to Love. As thrilled as she was to be on TV, Heritage defines her success by the many local residents who have become regulars.

“It all comes back to that cultural aspect of South Korea, where filling someone’s stomach shows how much you care,” she says.

Intentional eating

Heritage and Chef Shahin also take great care with their ingredients, insisting on non-genetically modified flour, local honey and hormone-free dairy.

“I didn’t grow up with a lot of processed foods,” she says. “It was mostly fresh and handmade. When I started this, I knew I wanted to serve our food the same way. Because we know if we put too much junk food in our bodies, we can’t avoid the results.”

Heritage’s husband is a cancer survivor, and navigating that journey got them both thinking about healthy lifestyle choices earlier in life than that might have otherwise.

“We shifted how we treat our bodies,” she says. “We work out, go to the gym. With our diet, there is a balance. My husband used to eat a box of doughnuts when he was younger and not think twice.  Now we still enjoy things, but we are more aware, more conscious of what we eat. I think being conscious—being intentional—about what you eat is the best thing you can do.”

You can use fresh ingredients to recreate a colorful Big Bon Bodega dish that is also packed with nutrients. Get Chef Shahin's Bulgogi Bowl recipe here.